Explosives



Patented Oct. 19, 1948 D STATES QFFICE N Drawing. Application May 15, 1945, Serial No. 593,971

1 Claim.

The invention here disclosed relates to explosives.

Objects of the invention are to provide explosives for use in bombs and the like which will have great disruptive force, be instantaneous in action and which while normally inert and inactive, may be set off or detonated by contact with water.

Other objects are to combine in an explosive the high temperature burning effects desirable in incendiary and demolition bombs and to accomplish this and the first mentioned objects with materials which are available at reasonable cost and which can be safely handled, combined and transported.

Other objects of the invention and the novel features by which the purposes of the invention are attained will appear in the course of the following specification.

Basically the invention comprises the combining of a high temperature burning medium having the characteristics of magnesium (Mg) with a water sensitizing agent having the characteristics of calcium phosphide (CasPz) and usually with an activating agent having the characteristics of potassium perchlorate (KClOt).

These materials preferably are all in powder form. In instances where rapid combustion is not so important the magnesium may be in the form of chips, and similarly the calcium phosphide may be in small grains or particles larger than normal powder size.

The magnesim may be in either the chemically pure form or in one of the commercial states, in which it may contain small proportions of other metals such as zinc, aluminum, copper and manganese.

Without restricting choice of materials, a commercial grade of magnesium found suited to the purpose is composed of Magnesium 99.8335 Zinc .05 Aluminum .064 Copper .021 Manganese .03

2 Magnesium (Mg) ounces 2 Calcium Phosphide (CasPz) drams 2 Potassium Perchlorate (K0104) dram 1 in powder form of a fineness to pass through a I These materials, in dry powder form, may be mixed in any usual or ordinary way, under proper precautions to keep them dry during all mixing and handling operations.

Preferably the mixture when complete is loaded at once into bomb casings and sealed to prevent access of moisture. The bomb casings or shells may be of any material and form to keep the mixture dry and strong enough to withstand transportation and forces of propulsion and the like.

These water-tight containers may be of a type to burst on contact and more or less spread the contents, such construction enabling placing of the material by gunfire or dropping from aircraft and subsequent ignition or detonation of .the deposited explosive by bombardment with bursting Water shells, or if the element of surprise is desired, the detonation may be left to be effected by rain or liquidation of moisture from the air.

What is claimed is:

An explosive containing magnesium, calcium phosphide and potassium perchlorate in substantially the proportions by weight of 32 parts magnesium, 2 parts calcium phosphide and 1 part potassium perchlorate.

DANIEL P. OBRIEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 841,172 Nienstadt Jan. 15, 1907 1,045,671 Bureau Nov. 26, 1912 1,342,802 Gerli June 8, 1920 1,351,078 Walker Aug. 31, 1920 1,404,653 Ross Jan. 24, 1922 2,095,302 Woodford Oct. 12, 1937 2,410,801 Audrieth Nov. 12, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,137 Great Britain 1895 124,796 Great Britain Apr. 10, 1919 460,323 Germany May 24, 1928 OTHER REFERENCES Barnett, Explosives, London, 1919, pages 176 and 177. 

